Pedro de Agurto

Pedro de Agurto, O.S.A. (1544 – October 15, 1608) was the first Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cebu (1595–1608).^[1][2][3][4]

Biography

Fray Pedro was a son of a noble Spanish family living in Mexico. His father was Sancho López de Agurto and his mother was Bernarda Pérez de la Torre. Unlike most of the missionaries who came from Spain, Fray Agurto was Mexican in origin.

He joined the Augustinian Order in the convent of Mexico.^[2] He studied in the University of Mexico in August 08, 1553, during which, he was already an Augustinian religious. Fray Pedro showed an outstanding and brilliant performance in his studies that in 1563, he succeeded Fray Alfonso de Vera Cruz, one of the first founders of a university in Mexico, in the Chair of "Prima Escritura" (study of the Sacred Scriptures). His intellectual adaptness led him to professorship of Arts and Theology. In this capacity he held for many years, Fray Pedro received the honorific title as Master of Sacred Theology. He also served as a councilor and Prior of the Augustinian Convent in Mexico.

In 1584, he was elected as Prior Provincial and Superior of the Augustinians in Mexico. Described as austere and simple, generous and understanding person despite his renown as one of the wisest theologians among his age, he rendered humble service among his brothers. In an ecclesiastical council in 1585, he served as an adviser both to the prelates in the Augustinian Order and to the other senior bishops. King Philip II took notice of Fray Agurto as a rising star in New Spain. As Pope Clement VIII created three dioceses, King Philip II suggested to him to appoint Fray Pedro de Agurto as bishop of the Episcopacy of the Most Holy Name of Jesus of Cebu, and that the pope agreed. On August 30, 1595, he was appointed as Bishop of Cebu.^[1][2] He was consecrated bishop on August 3, 1597 by Diego de Romano y Govea (Vitoria), Bishop of Tlaxcala.^[2]

After his consecration, he embarked to the Philippines with the other bishop who will be assigned also to other pastoral posts; Archbishop Ignacio Santibáñez of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, Bishop Miguel de Benavides of Nueva Segovia, along with other 15 Augustinian friars to work for the mission. They arrived on May 1598 in Cavite.

Bishop Agurto showed the same wisdom and zeal as the new leader in the diocese. As soon as he arrived he called for a Synod to standardize ecclesiastical norms in the adminitration of the Sacraments. He also corrected a Bisaya catechism and made wise decisions on re-establishing ecclesiastical disciplines and became an ardent promoter of the devotion to the Santo Niño de Cebú. Despite impossibilities, he managed to do pastoral visitions to his jurisdictions such as Samar and Leyte.

Bishol Agurto died on October 15, 1608 with the reputation of holiness. After six months of being entombed at the Monastery and the Church of Santo Niño de Cebu, his body was found incorrupt and fragrance exuded from his body. There are already many attempts to open up his cause for canonization. His remains lie in the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu.^[2][5]

See also

• Catholic Church in the Philippines

References

External links and additional sources

• Cheney, David M. "Archdiocese of Cebu". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved June 18, 2018. (for Chronology of Bishops)^{self-published}
• Chow, Gabriel. "Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cebu". GCatholic.org. Retrieved June 18, 2018. (for Chronology of Bishops)^{self-published}